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Eric County announced they are holding mental health training.

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About Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid training helps adults assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis. It takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health or substance use by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address potential issues.

Trainings

The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) Office of Health Equity is offering Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainings to the public to give adults the tools they need to provide immediate and practical support to someone experiencing a mental health challenge.

Participants will learn to recognize the signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults, how to offer and provide help, and how to guide a person towards appropriate care.

We offer two MHFA trainings:

1. Adult MHFA is for interacting with those ages 18 years and older.

2. Youth MHFA is for interacting with those ages 12-18 years old.

These in-person trainings can be taken in 1 day (8 hours) or split into 2 days (4 hours each day).

If you would like to schedule Adult or Youth Mental Health First Aid Training for your organization, please complete the Request Form for Mental Health First Aid Training for Organizations.

Current Trainings Available:
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training for the Community

August 5, 2023; 9:30am-4:30pm; Johnnie B. Wiley Pavilion, 1100 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo, NY 14208: REGISTER HERE

August 26, 2023; 9:30am-4:30pm; Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E Delavan Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215: REGISTER HERE

September 16, 2023; 10:00am-4:00pm; Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E Delavan Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215: REGISTER HERE

October 21, 2023; 10:00am-4:00pm; Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E Delavan Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215: REGISTER HERE

November 4, 2023; 10:00am-4:00pm; Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E Delavan Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215: REGISTER HERE

Questions and Additional Information

Erie County Department of Health
Office of Health Equity
Phone: (716) 858-2385
Email: healthequity@erie.gov

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Mental Health First Aid training helps adults assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis. It takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health or substance use by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address potential issues.

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The Buffalo News announces Erie County's Mental Health Training.

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County Office for Health Equity offers Mental Health First Aid trainings

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The Erie County Department of Health will host the first of several Mental Health First Aid trainings in the city this spring on April 15 at Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.

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3. Erie County receiving federal funding to enhance behavioral health programs 

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3. Erie County receiving federal funding to enhance behavioral health programs 

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Governor Wolf announced on February 1st that 30 counties received nearly $28 million in additional federal funding to enhance behavioral health programs.

This one-time funding is administered through the Department of Human Services.

The funding is granted to states through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 in combination with funds from Pennsylvania's annual Community Mental Health Services Block Grant Award.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us, and our lives have undergone a lot of change over the past two years that may bring about new or exacerbate existing mental health challenges. This enhanced federal funding for mental health resources will allow more of our fellow Pennsylvanians - including our family members, friends, and neighbors - to get the behavioral and mental health support they need," said Governor Tom Wolf, (D), Pennsylvania.

"These federal grants will help counties enhance their services to respond to the most vulnerable members of our communities, including children in grades K-12 and those who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. With this investment, we are working toward our goal of making the commonwealth a place where everyone can be safe, healthy, and thrive," said Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Snead.

The grants will be targeting specific statewide priorities including mobile crisis mental health services, telehealth, student assistance programs, start-up funding for residential treatment services and assisted outpatient treatment, and additional crisis service projects.

These projects include walk-in and remote crisis supports, expanding crisis, respite, residential care capacity, and enhanced collaboration with law enforcement to assist with crisis response.

The project areas and applicants receiving funding will include the following:
Mobile Crisis Units (nine projects):

Allegheny County

Beaver County

Blair County

Carbon/Monroe/Pike Counties

Centre County

Delaware County

Lackawanna/Susquehanna Counties

Lancaster County

Westmoreland Counties

Additional Crisis Services (21 Projects):

Allegheny County

Armstrong/Indiana Counties

Berks County

Bucks County

Carbon/Monroe/Pike Counties

Centre County

Chester County

Dauphin County

Erie County

Lackawanna/Susquehanna Counties

Lancaster County

Lehigh County

Lycoming/Clinton Counties

Montgomery County

Philadelphia

Washington County

Wayne County

8 County Regional- Centre, Clearfield/Jefferson, Huntingdon/Mifflin/Juniata, Northumberland, and Schuylkill Counties.

Assisted Outpatient Treatment Start-Up (Three projects):

Bucks County

Carbon/Monroe/Pike Counties

Dauphin County

Residential Services Start-Up (Three projects):

Carbon/Monroe/Pike Counties

Delaware County

Telehealth Capacity (Two projects):

Bradford/Sullivan Counties

Columbia/Montour/Snyder/Union Counties

Student Assistance Program (Nine projects):

Armstrong/Indiana Counties

Bedford/Somerset Counties

Blair County

Cameron/Elk Counties

Cumberland/Perry Counties

Dauphin County

Lycoming/Clinton Counties

Montgomery County

Washington County

For more information concerning mental health resources, click here.

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Erie one of 30 counties receiving federal funding to enhance behavioral health programs

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Governor Wolf announced on February 1st that 30 counties received nearly $28 million in additional federal funding to enhance behavioral health programs. This one-time funding is administered through the Department of Human Services. The funding is granted to states through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 in combination with funds from Pennsylvania's annual Community Mental [...]

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NYS Office of Mental Health releases a Community Needs Assessment: Data Recourse on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

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1. Press conference announcing federal funding for mental health services, and another announcing mental health training in 2023

2. Rationale for selection: Allows the public to know there are resources to help them with mental health

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-22 agencies reported they provide Mental Health Services (MH) (67%)
-16 agencies reported they provide Substance Use Disorder Services (SUD) (48%)
-4 agencies reported they provide Integrated Services (12%)
-6 agencies reported they provide Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Services (IDD) (18%)
Erie County Department of Mental Health. (n.d.).

Rational for choice: Gives updated information on agencies that provide mental health services and others.

Accessing outcome data:
https://www3.erie.gov/mentalhealth/sites/www3.erie.gov.mentalhealth/files/2021-05/2020%20Local%20Services%20Plan%20FINAL.pdf

Evaluating outcome data:
https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/statistics/2021-rep-payee-report.pdf

Allows us to see how money is being spent towards mental health services and the patients.

The total amount of federal benefits received during this period was $15,567,739.53. Of that amount, $ 11,862,789.98 was applied to the cost of the patients’ care and treatment, with $ 3,704,949.55 allocated to the patients’ personal accounts
Office of Mental Health. NYS Office of Mental Health Statistics and Reports. (n.d.).

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1. Implementation of mental health awareness training

2. Strengthen community action/reaction to mental health crisis'

How it reduces risk: Being able to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges, offer support and guide those who need help toward appropriate care.

How to improve outcomes: Allows the public to have increased knowledge of signs that someone is struggling with mental health issues

How to enhance accessibility of care: Having public training allows anyone to come to these trainings, which increases the chances of being able to help someone struggling with mental health issues

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Erie County Department of Mental Health. (n.d.). https://www3.erie.gov/mentalhealth/sites/www3.erie.gov.mentalhealth/files/2022-09/2022_workforce_survey_report_final.pdf

Mental health first aid training. Mental Health First Aid Training | Health. (n.d.). https://www3.erie.gov/health/mental-health-first-aid-training

Office of Mental Health. NYS Office of Mental Health Statistics and Reports. (n.d.). https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/statistics/

Office of Mental Health. NYS Office of Mental Health Statistics and Reports. (n.d.-a). https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/statistics/

Scanlon, S. (2023, April 8). County Office for Health Equity offers mental health first aid trainings. Buffalo News. https://buffalonews.com/news/local/county-office-for-health-equity-offers-mental-health-first-aid-trainings/article_7838a8ae-d650-11ed-8c3d-0bdc1a0e1154.html

Sorensen, N. (2022, February 2). Erie one of 30 counties receiving federal funding to enhance behavioral health programs. WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. https://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/erie-one-of-30-counties-receiving-federal-funding-to-enhance-behavioral-health-programs/